Simon Cowell, born October 7, 1959, is a British entrepreneur, record executive, and television personality. He rose to fame in the early 2000s when he created the program Pop Idol and later became a worldwide celebrity as a judge on X Factor, American Idol, and America's Got Talent. He also earned himself a catchphrase: "I don't mean to be rude but.."
Cowell was born Oct 7, 1959, in Lambeth, London, England, to parents Julie and Eric. He had a middle-class upbringing in the suburb of Elstree outside London, and had one leg in the entertainment industry from an early age. A well-known film and television studio was located in the area, and Simon's father was on the board of directors at the famous record label EMI.
As a kid, Cowell sadly had a hard time in school. He wasn't interested in studying, and when he was at school, he said he was bullied by teachers, who called him stupid because he couldn't read or write until the age of 11. He attended Dover College but dropped out at 16. Instead, he ended up working in the mailroom at the record label EMI.
Cowell rose in ranks at EMI and later earned a position as assistant to an A&R executive in 1979. He then became a talent scout and, in the early 1980s, left to form his own label, E&S Music. He left the company by mutual agreement in 1985 and founded the independent label Fanfare Records. Sadly, due to financial problems, he had to shut it down in 1989, and moved back with his parents.
Simon Cowell continued to pursue a career in the music industry. He started over and founded S Records Label and managed to sign boybands such as Westlife. Moreover, he signed artist Jerome, who recorded the Righteous Brothers’ hit Unchained Melody in 1995, which became a top-selling single.
It was in the early 2000s he gained fame after creating the television program Pop Idol, along with Spice Girls manager Simon Fuller. The show was a smash hit, and Simon Cowell became a huge celebrity overnight.
In 2002, Fuller and Cowell aimed for America. They aired the show American Idol, a talent show for singers, which also became a huge success. Simon was one of the original judges alongside Randy Jackson and Paula Abdul.
The first season finale – which Kelly Clarkson won – attracted more than 26 million viewers, and Simon saw the huge financial potential. He released special American Idol-themed records, with Simon Fuller owning and being in charge of the show, as well as managing the winners.
Cowell made himself a fortune through the talent shows on television, as well as through his record label. According to CNN, he earned a staggering $36 million dollars in 2008 alone. Cowell continued the success into latter years, earning $45 million in 2017 and the year after $41 million.
In 2020, he made more than $50 million. As of 2024, per Celebrity Networth, he has a fortune of more than $600 million.
Cowell has been in a relationship with Lauren Silverman since 2013. In 2014, they welcomed their son, Eric Cowell.
Simon met his fiancé, Lauren Silverman, for the first time in the mid-2000s in Barbados. He was a good friend of her husband, Andrew Silverman, and the two later began an affair. When Lauren became pregnant with Simon's child in 2013, Andrew filed for divorce. Simon and Lauren shared news of their engagement in 2021.
Lauren Silverman attended the prestigious Tufts University in Massachusetts and now works as an entrepreneur.
For years, the internet has been full of rumors about Simon Cowell's son possibly being on the autism spectrum. Cowell has never responded to the rumors, and based on pictures of Eric, it seems as if he is very healthy.
Yes, Simon Cowell has admitted to doing both fillers and botox.
In 2018, Cowell told the Sun he underwent a non-surgical “sewing bioplastic-infused thread” facelift and said that his use of Botox actually “added 10 years” to his television career,
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